Two men, one from Hull and the other from Braintree, are facing heroin charges after a Hingham officer investigated why a vehicle was parked in the Hingham District Courthouse parking lot on President's Day afternoon (Monday, Feb. 17), when the court was closed.

Two men, one from Hull and the other from Braintree, are facing heroin charges after a Hingham officer investigated why a vehicle was parked in the Hingham District Courthouse parking lot on President's Day afternoon (Monday, Feb. 17), when the court was closed.

At 4:44 p.m., Officer Daniel Leary was on patrol on George Washington Boulevard when he spotted a 2000 Acura sedan in the courthouse parking lot parked away from the road and facing the woods

The officer pulled off the road nearby and could see there were two men inside the car. Using binoculars he observed the driver raise his right arm where the sleeve was rolled up and remove what appeared to be a tourniquet consistent with the use of drugs. Leary checked the vehicle's registration through the Registry of Motor Vehicles database that showed the registered owner had a suspended license.

The officer drove toward the car and as he did, the two men noticed him and attempted to back up, police said. Leary stepped out and ordered them to stop. As he approached he could see an orange plastic cap that was consistent with the cap of a syringe on the lap of the driver, Kevin P. Wholey, 24, of 658 Nantasket Ave., Hull. There was also a thick drawstring on Wholey's lap. Wholey's right sleeve was rolled up and the officer could see marks on his upper arm consistent with the use of a tourniquet. Officer Justin Burns arrived to assist.

Wholey was ordered to step out of the car, he was handcuffed, and police located an uncapped needle in the crease of the driver's seat. Officer Burns removed the passenger, Mark P. Murray, 22, of 145 Hancock St., Braintree. Wedged in the center console was an uncapped syringe containing a brownish liquid that appeared to be heroin. Murray was also handcuffed.

Further search of the car revealed an open bag on the passenger-side floor with several needles, one of which was uncapped and contained a brown liquid believed to be heroin. In the bag, there was also a pair of brass knuckles and a pink container with three Gabapentin pills, police said.

Wholey was arrested and charged with possession of a Class A substance (heroin), driving with a suspended license and trespassing (there was signage at the courthouse limiting vehicles to court business only). Wholey's license had been suspended for failure to pay a reinstatement fee.

Murray was charged with possession of a Class A substance (heroin), possession of Class E (Gabapentin), carrying a dangerous weapon (brass knuckles), and trespassing.

Murray was bailed Monday night and was arraigned Tuesday with a bail warning issued by the court. He has a court return date of March 20.

Wholey was arraigned Tuesday but the District Attorney moved to revoke his bail due to two open cases out of Hingham District Court for which he was issued a previous bail warning. The open cases included charges of OUI (alcohol), operating to endanger, and malicious destruction of property, police said. He is being held without bail at the Plymouth County House of Correction and has a court return date of March 14.